Heather Guy

HG: I completed my B.A. in History spring of 2007 and will complete my M.A. this December.

GS: How long have you been at UAB?

HG: 7 years.

GS: What is your research?

HG: American History with an emphasis on Southern History.

GS: What made you choose UAB for your graduate studies?

HG: Since I worked on my B.A. here, I already had really good relationships with my professors. I think the professors here a phenomenal, so I decided to continue working with them in the graduate program.

GS: Have you received any awards or honors?

HG: I am a member of Phi Alpha Theta and graduated Cum Laude in 2007. I will have a paper and book review published in this year’s Vulcan Historical Review and I have had the honor to present my original research at the Alabama Association of Historians and the Alabama Academy of Sciences meetings. I was also awarded a scholarship to attend the Southeastern Museums Conference in 2008.

GS: What has been your most rewarding experience at UAB?

HG: Gaining relationships with the professors. They truly have a desire for each and every student to succeed. They are not only history teachers, but also life coaches.

GS: Who was your greatest influence here at UAB and why?

HG: Dr. George Liber for helping me to realize I needed to take my education farther, Dr. Raymond Mohl and Dr. Harriet Amos Doss for helping me see the joy I would have to teach (because you can tell they love to teach so much), and Professors Pam King and Karen Utz for helping me see how much I could do with a degree in history.

GS: What is your motivation in your academics/research?

HG: I simply have the strongest desire to learn everything I can. My love for history combined with the desire to learn has been my motivation all along. Over time, I’ve also developed the desire to relay all the knowledge I can gain to others.

GS: What are your plans after graduating and for the future?

HG: I plan to enter a Ph.D program. I want to teach at the college level or either work in a museum setting.

GS: Is there anything else you would like to say?

HG: I would like to point out that graduate school is only as good as you make it. Although it can be a daunting task, people should enjoy their grad school experience. If the other graduate programs are like the history department, the possibilities are endless and you always have someone to extend a helping hand.

Heather’s advice for other graduate students:

Don’t get overwhelmed! Take one day at a time and develop good time management skills for sure. Always, always, always ask questions and get to know your professors.

Ethics for Authors

The UAB Ethics for Authors website explores ethical issues for students, researchers and faculty writing for publication. The site includes FAQs on citing and writing for research, e-tools and activities, and several handouts.